TRAFALGAR DAY

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 9

TRAFALGAR DAY

ANNUAL DEMONSTRATION IN DUNEDIN.

Yesterday, the 110th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, was celebrated throughout the Empire, and Dunedin was not behindhand in its observance of the historic and memorable event. On the Town Hall and on many business places, and at private residences, flags were flying during the day, and on the flagstaff in the Queen s Gardens Nelson’s famous signal was displayed by means of flags. In the evening there was a tree public celebration in tno Garrison Hill, under the management ot the Otago Branch of the Navy League, and although the night was cold tno hall was crowded, a large p_art of the assembly consisting of school children. _ A number of returned soldiers, on entering the nail, were greeted with warm applause. _ , The proceedings were opened by a bnot speech by the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr J. J. Clark). The musical portion of the programme was not lengthy, but the items were good and exceedingly well rendered. At the outset the Otago Eourth Regiment Band, under the direction of Lieutenant George, played selections, in which Dibdin’s “ Sea Songs were prominent. For about half an hour those present were thoroughly entertained by the display on the screen of some excellent pictures of jiaval incidents nnd naval matters from the time of Nelson’s great ocean victory in 1805 to the present. The pictures conveyed an excellent idea of the vessels, armament, and men of the past, and those of modern times. The portrait of Lord Nelson was received with a tumult of applause, and that of Admiral Jellicoe met with an almost equally enthusiastic ovation. Mr C. Darling made explanatory observations and comments, his remarks being of a most interesting description. At the conclusion of the pictures the Fourth Regiment Band played two verses of the National Anthem, the audience joining in with great heartiness. The Mayor, in introducing Mr F. Milner, rector of the Waitaki Boys’ High School, as one of the speakers, mentioned that 3CO of the boys of that institution had volunteered when the call came to serve among our citizen soldiers. Mr Milner, who was cordially welcomed, spoke on the subject “ What is the Empire to Us?” After a reference to the splendid work of the Navy League and to the important part taken in that organisation by Mr Darling (the secretary), ho went on to refer to the support given to the Mother Countr r by all the oversea dominions. He concluded by saying that after the war was over, they would devise a scheme to preserve local autonomy and to set up a Council of Empire for such questions as diplomacy, foreign policy, and defence, and when that time came this dominion would have a greater voice in the affairs of the nation than it had had hitherto. —(Applause.) The Mayor stated that the ladies of the league desired to send to _ the men on H.M.S. New Zealand, 800 in number, a Christmas present. They had received £lO5, and were extremely anxious to bo in a position to send the men 5s each, and they had asked the executive for permission to take up a collection. The league had laid down a rule that there should be no collections at its_ meeting, but Lad relaxed the rule on this occasion. A collection was then taken np, and resulted in £26 11s 8d being subscribed. The Rev. C. Eaton then delivered a stirring patriotic speech. He said that the flower of our manhood was being wasted. and we could not hope to bring back again our gallant dead. Yet, undoubtedly, our dead wore with us yet, and our loss was an infinite gain; but many homes were desolate, and there were in our land those bowed in grief. And there were other losses. For example, there was the possible loss of our supremacy. Germany had set herself to dethrone Anglo-Saxon supremacy. There was in the German people an Imperial instinct which had met our own Imperial instinct, and _ one would overcome the other and survive. So there was a conflict for supremacy._ The Gorman desire was that the Prussian Eagle should hover over every sea, and that Germany might have a world supremacy. There was no doubt there was in the balance also our liberty, so that there were supremacy. Empire, and liberty. The Germans did not know liberty as we knew; it, and they sought to impose upon us their medievalism and take away our liberty, and it was inconceivable that we should ho enshacklcd and enslaved. We were not going to allow our freedom to be taken away from us. Ho thought out of that great gathering there should be something more than more demonstration. There should be dedication of our lives and property in such a cause. — (Loud applause.) The proceedings concluded -with the National Anthem being sung. MEMORIAL WREATH. The Ladies’ Committee of the Dunedin Branch of the Overseas Club laid a memorial wreath under the flagstaff in tho Queen’s Gardens on Thursday, and Mrs Statham (the president), in performing tho ceremony, announced that she did so in honour of past and present heroes of the Empire. CELEBRATION AT WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, October 21. At a patriotic meeting to-night at tho Town Hall, celebrating Trafalgar Day, a resolution was carried congratulating tho navy on the work done by it during tho war, and expressing confidence that Great Britain and li£r Allies would emerge successful from tho present conflict. “ ALL’S WELL WITH THE FLEET.” LONDON, October 20. Mr Balfour, in a Trafalgar Day message to the Navy League, says": “ Germany’s aim is for world domlna* tion. Against this the British fleet since Elizabeth times has been the surest and most effectual protection.” Mr Churchill says : “We are stronger than ever. We have begun to adapt ourselves to war conditions. Hazard, ous struggles, vast expenses, and hard

privations are before ns; but, courage 1 “All’s well with the fleet.”

EMPIRE CELEBRATIONS. LONDON, October 21

Trafalgar Day is being celebrated throughout the Empire by demonstrations. Numberless wreaths placed, in Trafalgar square in memory of sailors killed in the war include tributes from the oversea dominions, Japan, and other allies. One hundred and sixteen patriotic meetings were held in support of Lord Derby s campaign. A thousand picture theatres showed naval films, with half-hour addresses upon the navy at 20,000 schools.